Elizabeth and Will's friendship was cemented over the years as they played and grew in Port Royal, but Will felt that as they bonded, a barrier began to form. It was very subtle in the early years as children, but when they reached sixteen, things began to change, and not only by physical means. Elizabeth began to grow out of her tall, lanky pre-teens and into a budding, softly curving young womanhood. Will's voice dropped several octaves and he finally passed Elizabeth in height and strength.
Emotionally the barrier came about when Will's mother apprenticed him to the local blacksmith Mr. Brown, and Elizabeth's father threw her a debutante banquet. Will saw her surrounded by other young ladies of the gentry, adorned in fine raiment and admiring her many gifts. The final blow was driven home when Lieutenant Norrington strode to her and fondly kissed her hand, speaking in a low voice as he noticed Will observing.
He quietly left; leaving the humble gift of a pair of lace gloves his mother had given from her dowry. The night was bright with stars, but they held no comfort for Will, who approached the blacksmith shop's open doorway. Mr. Brown taught him enough so that he didn't burn himself or ruin the metal, then busied himself in drinking or other pleasures. Will was a natural with the iron, and began working late into the nights to drive away his feeling.
His sudden obsession developed a skill for sword making, winning him some small fame amongst the patrons, including the governor. Will finished one such sword one afternoon, pleased with the balance and smooth blade. He maneuvered it in a few practice swings, interest sparked. He grabbed another sword and began practicing, determined to master the art of swordplay, a talent that would save his life countless times in the future.
When Will was eighteen his mother died, leaving him the house and her slight fortune. As the boy went through the things he discovered bags of silver and gold in a trunk belonging to his father, eyes widening as he fingered the shining coins. The fortune was a mystery, but he closed the trunk shortly after, determined not to spend it immediately on some fine clothes or any other trinket that might attract Elizabeth's eye. He did, however, hire an old housekeeper to look after his mother's house and do the cooking as he threw himself into making his own fortune through blacksmithing.
Occasionally he did visit Elizabeth whenever the governor had an order for him, but the visits were always short and uncomfortable. Elizabeth always asked him to call her by her given name, but he couldn't bring himself to do so. Addressing her as 'Miss Swann' was safe, controlled. He could not trust himself to keep his disposition were he to use her name.
Two years crept by, Will gaining respect as a blacksmith and swordsman, Elizabeth as a refined young lady. Lieutenant Norrington also gained renown for tracking down pirates, leading to a promotion ceremony that would change the fate of the young blacksmith forever.
